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DragonCrown War Cycle #1
Forteresse Draconis
Lorsque le jeune Will dérobe aux elfes un étrange objet, il n’imagine pas qu’il sera entraîné dans les filets d’une incroyable prophétie. Peut-être est-il la dernière chance de sauver le monde de la tyrannie de Chytrine, la terrible reine du Nord. Ayant eu vent de son existence, la souveraine envoie à ses trousses ses Lanciers Noirs.
Will doit fuir pour sauver sa vie, mais il n'est pas seul. Ailleurs, d’autres se lèvent contre Chytrine. Comme Alexia, princesse d’une nation disparue, qui, à la tête de son armée, défie les royaumes du Nord, ou les sorciers de Vilwan qui ont créé leur propre héros aux pouvoirs surhumains.
Tous vont converger vers la mystérieuse Forteresse Draconis et tenter d’empêcher Chytrine de reconstituer la Couronne du Dragon, un puissant artefact qui, s’il tombait entre ses mains, garantirait son règne éternel… Et la fin du monde.
Will doit fuir pour sauver sa vie, mais il n'est pas seul. Ailleurs, d’autres se lèvent contre Chytrine. Comme Alexia, princesse d’une nation disparue, qui, à la tête de son armée, défie les royaumes du Nord, ou les sorciers de Vilwan qui ont créé leur propre héros aux pouvoirs surhumains.
Tous vont converger vers la mystérieuse Forteresse Draconis et tenter d’empêcher Chytrine de reconstituer la Couronne du Dragon, un puissant artefact qui, s’il tombait entre ses mains, garantirait son règne éternel… Et la fin du monde.
563 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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1127 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
December 2, 2007
Most fantasy novels are derivative dreck, but this one manages to be boring derivative dreck. I forced myself through 50 pages and this is what I got for my time:
Character A: Kadyn's Crow. Personality: none. Who is Kadyn: unknown. What is a Crow: unknown. Occupation: generic fighter.
Character B: Resolute. Personality: resolute (note the clever name). Race: Vorquelf. How is a Vorquelf different than an Elf: unknown. Occupation: generic fighter.
Character C: Will. Personality: self-centered. Occupation: generic thief. Plot importance: generic "orphan who is the Chosen-One told of in the prophecy". Actual name: Wilburforce. And it's really important that his name is Wilburforce.
Yes, the most exciting thing about the characters in the first 50 pages is that "Will" is actually "Wilburforce". I gave the book a second pity star since it might improve later, but it's not worth my time to find out.
Character A: Kadyn's Crow. Personality: none. Who is Kadyn: unknown. What is a Crow: unknown. Occupation: generic fighter.
Character B: Resolute. Personality: resolute (note the clever name). Race: Vorquelf. How is a Vorquelf different than an Elf: unknown. Occupation: generic fighter.
Character C: Will. Personality: self-centered. Occupation: generic thief. Plot importance: generic "orphan who is the Chosen-One told of in the prophecy". Actual name: Wilburforce. And it's really important that his name is Wilburforce.
Yes, the most exciting thing about the characters in the first 50 pages is that "Will" is actually "Wilburforce". I gave the book a second pity star since it might improve later, but it's not worth my time to find out.
March 13, 2014
Little more than 3 stars, not quite 4 stars. Reading through the series (I hate leaving things partially done) after really enjoying the prequel: The Dark Glory War.
Standard military fantasy done well. It may not stand-out as one of the best books you'll read, but it also won't stand-out as one of the worst. If you are looking for a fantasy novel with a touch of military, this book is worth picking up and may exceed your expectations if you temper them. If I had to pick a similar author, I would liken the book to something David Gemmell would write.
Standard military fantasy done well. It may not stand-out as one of the best books you'll read, but it also won't stand-out as one of the worst. If you are looking for a fantasy novel with a touch of military, this book is worth picking up and may exceed your expectations if you temper them. If I had to pick a similar author, I would liken the book to something David Gemmell would write.
December 2, 2020
Years after reading the prequel The Dark Glory War, I've finally started the Dragoncrown War trilogy itself.
Stylistically, I suppose I'd call this high fantasy - there are elven nations, dwarf/gnomish creatures, sapient avians, and a small plethora of others. However, this is decidedly more somber and downcast in character than what is traditionally considered high fantasy. This isn't surprising, given Stackpole's fantasy repertoire, and while things are predictably violent and visceral, it's not overly gratuitous.
The PoV characters are split between Princess Alexia, young Wil(burforce) Norrington, and Adept Kerrigan Reese. The most interesting characters, however, are certainly the NPCs. Chytrine's sullanciri, Crow, Resolute, General Adrogans, and more.
Will is all right, but he's the typical cocktail of young, headstrong, ignorant, and hot-tempered, though never in a particularly irritating fashion. Alex is sort of a bland character - a mesmerizingly gorgeous knight dame who is also a brilliant tactician, raised in an avian warrior caste society, yadda yadda...yet she sort of gets walked on a lot for all of that. Once again we have something of a token female protagonist who is presented as near-perfect, but when the author portrays her actual behavior, she's quite characteristically (and completely understandably) feminine.
Finally, we have Kerrigan Reese. A fat, coddled, but incredibly gifted mage who has basically been refined as a weapon by his people, the Vilwanese. He's ignorant of much of his purpose, and a good bit of the book is spent slowly opening his eyes to his state, the state of the world, and how he comes to terms with his power. Morally, we don't have a great estimate of his value, since he is rather one-dimensional, but in terms of personality and gradually application of his intellect and magical prowess, he's the most rewarding main character.
Something of a cliffhanger ending at the end of this one, after Chytrine finally declares the war that all know is inevitable. The allied nations are fighting a war on two major fronts while political intrigue (Spearheaded by King Scrainwood of Oriosa) abounds. It's anyone's guess where this will go in book two, but the ride has been quite good and not off-putting in any way thus far. 3.5 stars.
Stylistically, I suppose I'd call this high fantasy - there are elven nations, dwarf/gnomish creatures, sapient avians, and a small plethora of others. However, this is decidedly more somber and downcast in character than what is traditionally considered high fantasy. This isn't surprising, given Stackpole's fantasy repertoire, and while things are predictably violent and visceral, it's not overly gratuitous.
The PoV characters are split between Princess Alexia, young Wil(burforce) Norrington, and Adept Kerrigan Reese. The most interesting characters, however, are certainly the NPCs. Chytrine's sullanciri, Crow, Resolute, General Adrogans, and more.
Will is all right, but he's the typical cocktail of young, headstrong, ignorant, and hot-tempered, though never in a particularly irritating fashion. Alex is sort of a bland character - a mesmerizingly gorgeous knight dame who is also a brilliant tactician, raised in an avian warrior caste society, yadda yadda...yet she sort of gets walked on a lot for all of that. Once again we have something of a token female protagonist who is presented as near-perfect, but when the author portrays her actual behavior, she's quite characteristically (and completely understandably) feminine.
Finally, we have Kerrigan Reese. A fat, coddled, but incredibly gifted mage who has basically been refined as a weapon by his people, the Vilwanese. He's ignorant of much of his purpose, and a good bit of the book is spent slowly opening his eyes to his state, the state of the world, and how he comes to terms with his power. Morally, we don't have a great estimate of his value, since he is rather one-dimensional, but in terms of personality and gradually application of his intellect and magical prowess, he's the most rewarding main character.
Something of a cliffhanger ending at the end of this one, after Chytrine finally declares the war that all know is inevitable. The allied nations are fighting a war on two major fronts while political intrigue (Spearheaded by King Scrainwood of Oriosa) abounds. It's anyone's guess where this will go in book two, but the ride has been quite good and not off-putting in any way thus far. 3.5 stars.
June 21, 2010
As good as the previous novel, and I thought that equaling The Dark Glory War would be difficult. While Stackpole is an acknowledged master of first-person narratives, I enjoyed this novel's multi-character storyline. The introduction of a wide variety of characters expands the overall plot quite nicely. The disparate nature of these characters drives the story and will keep you hooked to the last page. I only have one complaint with the character situation: the identity of Kedyn's Crow was too obvious. It should either have been blatantly revealed earlier in the novel, or hinted at much less.
There are plenty of battles in the story, but character background and development seemed to dominate amidst the fighting. The setting of these events is described succinctly; it is enough to give you a general picture without being tediously unnecessary. The overall mythology/history of this new land is consistently engaging. Altogether, any fan of character-driven plots, fantasy, well-described battles, or just good stories should seek this at their local bookstore immediately.
There are plenty of battles in the story, but character background and development seemed to dominate amidst the fighting. The setting of these events is described succinctly; it is enough to give you a general picture without being tediously unnecessary. The overall mythology/history of this new land is consistently engaging. Altogether, any fan of character-driven plots, fantasy, well-described battles, or just good stories should seek this at their local bookstore immediately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2025
Will est un jeune voleur. Et alors qu'il croit sa dernière heure venue après le vol d'un objet magique qui a mal tourné, sa vie va prendre un tournant inattendu. Car il semblerait que lui qui rêvait d'entendre les troubadours chanter sa gloire puisse être le Norrington, héros qu'une prophétie voit comme la solution face à la menace que représente la maléfique Chytrine, sorcière maîtresse des terres du nord qui s'apprête à essayer pour la seconde fois de conquérir le Sud. Il va donc partir accompagné de Corbeau et Résolu, deux personnages célèbres, pour un premier voyage en forme de quête initiatique pour notre jeune citadin ignorant du monde qui l'entoure.
Premier de 3 romans, on commence ici une histoire à la facture des plus classique, un jeune garçon va devenir le sauveur du monde. Mais au delà de ce manque d'originalité, le monde est cohérent et varié, les intrigues bien ficelées et les personnages attachants.
On se retrouve donc rapidement à vivre intensément l'aventure et à tourner les pages avec de plus en plus d'empressement. Un excellent début qui ne peut qu'encourager à lire la suite, La Guerre de la Couronne, tome 2 : La Furie des dragons.
Premier de 3 romans, on commence ici une histoire à la facture des plus classique, un jeune garçon va devenir le sauveur du monde. Mais au delà de ce manque d'originalité, le monde est cohérent et varié, les intrigues bien ficelées et les personnages attachants.
On se retrouve donc rapidement à vivre intensément l'aventure et à tourner les pages avec de plus en plus d'empressement. Un excellent début qui ne peut qu'encourager à lire la suite, La Guerre de la Couronne, tome 2 : La Furie des dragons.
December 14, 2014
Actually, 'Fortress Draconis' is the second book of 'The DragonCrown War' Cycle, but since it takes place 25 years after the events of The Dark Glory War and gives quite a lot of explanations about events of previous book, so one can begin the series with this book. However, I suppose that reading 'The Dark Glory War' would give better insight into the culture and history of the world.
I loved all aspects of this book. Out of all characters, princess Alexia was the only one that doesn't appeal to me. Her being brought up by the bird-people of the Gyrkyme gives her an interesting background, but Alyx is too proud for my tastes. Other two main heroes, Will and Kerrigan, are more remarkable since they start out as rather weak and grow throughout the book. Will starts the book as a street urchin and thief, and he possesses according personality. I'm pleased to say that his character develops a lot as he realises quite early that there are more important things that becoming 'king of thieves' and willingly accepts responsibility for the others. Kerrigan Reese, on the other hand, is very powerful and talented mage, but since he was raised with minimum social contacts he is almost helpless outside his study room. However, Chytrine's attack on Vilwan gives him a good motivation to grow up, because if he doesn't, he'll die. You can't say that Will and Kerrigan turned into completely different persons, since they save some of their flaws, but they definitely matured a lot.
I also enjoyed company of their friends. Crow and Resolute are fantastic mentor figures, non-human characters of Peri and Lombo are my personal favourites, and I definitely wish there were more Dranae. I also enjoyed seeing some veterans of the old wars such as Dothan Cavarre and King Augustus. I should applause the author for character of Markus Adrogans. He is famous general, but we are said that he won his battles by luck rather than by strategy, that he always outnumbered his enemies in battle, that he is asking about twice as much supplies as necessary and never exploits full opportunities he faces. While it's true that he is arrogant, he maintains a strict discipline in his army and plans his logistics perfectly. Finally, it turns out Adrogans has a lot more in him that he want the others to see. Chytrine was a magnificent villain and dangerous enemy, since she plans her battles to get a win-win situation and turns her defeats into victories. If she doesn't win her battles, she makes sure her enemies gain nothing and leaves them demoralized. Either way, Chytrine wins.
I like all the action, both single combat and army-to-army battles. With single combat, we can see our heroes use their skills, wits and strenghts. With grand battles, I'm pleased that a lot of attention is devoted to battle planning and war strategy. I also like how Michael A. Stackpole depicts underwater currents of Council of Kings, though I never was a fan of court intrigues. There's no vicious struggle with kings ready to cut each other's throats for power; however, even though they are united by they war with Chytrine, one can clearly see that the countries still have their own interests in mind and put their own goals above all the others.
I loved all aspects of this book. Out of all characters, princess Alexia was the only one that doesn't appeal to me. Her being brought up by the bird-people of the Gyrkyme gives her an interesting background, but Alyx is too proud for my tastes. Other two main heroes, Will and Kerrigan, are more remarkable since they start out as rather weak and grow throughout the book. Will starts the book as a street urchin and thief, and he possesses according personality. I'm pleased to say that his character develops a lot as he realises quite early that there are more important things that becoming 'king of thieves' and willingly accepts responsibility for the others. Kerrigan Reese, on the other hand, is very powerful and talented mage, but since he was raised with minimum social contacts he is almost helpless outside his study room. However, Chytrine's attack on Vilwan gives him a good motivation to grow up, because if he doesn't, he'll die. You can't say that Will and Kerrigan turned into completely different persons, since they save some of their flaws, but they definitely matured a lot.
I also enjoyed company of their friends. Crow and Resolute are fantastic mentor figures, non-human characters of Peri and Lombo are my personal favourites, and I definitely wish there were more Dranae. I also enjoyed seeing some veterans of the old wars such as Dothan Cavarre and King Augustus. I should applause the author for character of Markus Adrogans. He is famous general, but we are said that he won his battles by luck rather than by strategy, that he always outnumbered his enemies in battle, that he is asking about twice as much supplies as necessary and never exploits full opportunities he faces. While it's true that he is arrogant, he maintains a strict discipline in his army and plans his logistics perfectly. Finally, it turns out Adrogans has a lot more in him that he want the others to see. Chytrine was a magnificent villain and dangerous enemy, since she plans her battles to get a win-win situation and turns her defeats into victories. If she doesn't win her battles, she makes sure her enemies gain nothing and leaves them demoralized. Either way, Chytrine wins.
I like all the action, both single combat and army-to-army battles. With single combat, we can see our heroes use their skills, wits and strenghts. With grand battles, I'm pleased that a lot of attention is devoted to battle planning and war strategy. I also like how Michael A. Stackpole depicts underwater currents of Council of Kings, though I never was a fan of court intrigues. There's no vicious struggle with kings ready to cut each other's throats for power; however, even though they are united by they war with Chytrine, one can clearly see that the countries still have their own interests in mind and put their own goals above all the others.
June 19, 2013
My opinion on this book is divided. The first half of the story is fast paced and full of character growth and engaging scenarios. The second half drops the ball almost immediately; it almost seems like a second writer took over.
The better half of the book has the protagonist and his surly friends leaving a large city for the forest and mountains where they frequently run into dangerous people or creatures, all while revealing major plot points. It's easy to read, engaging, and a good example of what great fantasy should be. This comes to an abrupt halt, however, when the author introduces a large scale military campaign. Stackpole spends an unreasonable amount of time giving the reader every detail of an upcoming conflict, small or large, then waits for another two chapters before he tells you what happens. These frequent breaks to describe strategy are far too long, and made me feel like scratching my eyes out; I put the book down several times in favor of other books, but eventually, I forced myself through it.
Another secondary, somewhat major flaw, was the character Alexia. She is perfect in almost every way, and frequently complains that her superiors aren't as strategically gifted as her. During the course of the book, she never fails at anything she attempts, and everyone heaps praise on her, feeding into her delusions of grandeur. In contrast, the main character, Will, is a complete ass that messes up routinely. While Will's attitude and lack of sympathy (and empathy) can grate on the nerves, he's far more realistic and relatable than the aforementioned Alexia. Resolute and Crow, on the other hand, are fantastic characters, and were most of what drew me into the story.
The totality of the story balances out to be just, "meh." The whole thing leaves me conflicted and I can't accurately say whether I liked it or not; the prequel novel, however, was very good, and if you read that and want to see loose ends tied up, you pretty much have to read Fortress Draconis (but you might not enjoy it).
The better half of the book has the protagonist and his surly friends leaving a large city for the forest and mountains where they frequently run into dangerous people or creatures, all while revealing major plot points. It's easy to read, engaging, and a good example of what great fantasy should be. This comes to an abrupt halt, however, when the author introduces a large scale military campaign. Stackpole spends an unreasonable amount of time giving the reader every detail of an upcoming conflict, small or large, then waits for another two chapters before he tells you what happens. These frequent breaks to describe strategy are far too long, and made me feel like scratching my eyes out; I put the book down several times in favor of other books, but eventually, I forced myself through it.
Another secondary, somewhat major flaw, was the character Alexia. She is perfect in almost every way, and frequently complains that her superiors aren't as strategically gifted as her. During the course of the book, she never fails at anything she attempts, and everyone heaps praise on her, feeding into her delusions of grandeur. In contrast, the main character, Will, is a complete ass that messes up routinely. While Will's attitude and lack of sympathy (and empathy) can grate on the nerves, he's far more realistic and relatable than the aforementioned Alexia. Resolute and Crow, on the other hand, are fantastic characters, and were most of what drew me into the story.
The totality of the story balances out to be just, "meh." The whole thing leaves me conflicted and I can't accurately say whether I liked it or not; the prequel novel, however, was very good, and if you read that and want to see loose ends tied up, you pretty much have to read Fortress Draconis (but you might not enjoy it).
November 25, 2016
I had high hopes for this series. I really did. I love Stackpole's stand-alone fantasy novels, and was expecting his first major fantasy series to be great. The entertaining (albeit predictable) prequel novel the The Dark Glory War (A Prelude to the DragonCrown War Cycle) lowered my expectations somewhat, but I still eagerly anticipated Fortress Draconis.
Sadly, Fortress Draconis was a disappointment. If the Dark Glory War was predictable, its sequel is "fantasy by the numbers" all the way. I wouldn't have minded the use of time-worn fantasy staples like the young orphan unaware of his role in a mysterious prophecy, if they were well executed. Instead, Stackpole throws key characters together left and right with minimal attempts at building reasonable situations, and relies on fantasy clichés to carry the story. The characters are relatively two-dimensional and completely predictable, and it seems that much of the attention that should have gone towards character development instead went to describing siege engines and such.
Overall, Fortress Draconis is a 700-page exercise in beating a dead horse from an author who has already proven that he can do much better. I'm not giving up on him, but it's going to take a major dry spell before I bring myself to read the next chapter in the DragonCrown War saga.
If you're a fan of everything David Eddings and Terry Goodkind have written, then this may appeal to you. If you've ever read anything by George R.R. Martin, Guy Gavriel Kay, or even Robert Jordan for that matter, then you probably won't find Fortress Draconis very stimulating.
Sadly, Fortress Draconis was a disappointment. If the Dark Glory War was predictable, its sequel is "fantasy by the numbers" all the way. I wouldn't have minded the use of time-worn fantasy staples like the young orphan unaware of his role in a mysterious prophecy, if they were well executed. Instead, Stackpole throws key characters together left and right with minimal attempts at building reasonable situations, and relies on fantasy clichés to carry the story. The characters are relatively two-dimensional and completely predictable, and it seems that much of the attention that should have gone towards character development instead went to describing siege engines and such.
Overall, Fortress Draconis is a 700-page exercise in beating a dead horse from an author who has already proven that he can do much better. I'm not giving up on him, but it's going to take a major dry spell before I bring myself to read the next chapter in the DragonCrown War saga.
If you're a fan of everything David Eddings and Terry Goodkind have written, then this may appeal to you. If you've ever read anything by George R.R. Martin, Guy Gavriel Kay, or even Robert Jordan for that matter, then you probably won't find Fortress Draconis very stimulating.
January 16, 2015
I gave this book 150 pages (out of its 700-something) to convince me to keep reading it. It did not succeed. It spends absolutely no time world-building; you're just thrown straight into the deep end lore-wise without a life line and advised to not drown. Names and races get thrown at you with zero context to back them up, which is more frustrating than immersive.
Part of the problem I think is there's a prequel novel I wasn't aware of before I started and didn't read. Maybe that would've helped with the lore context. But it wouldn't help with the flat, utterly nondescript characters. Zero development. Almost no description (I still can't remember if it's Resolute or Kedryn's Crow who's the elf; it's that bad). If you were to ask the three main characters why they were off on the quest they were on, I'm pretty sure you'd get a blank stare and a, "...because the author said so?" in response. They have no motivation, no history, no personality. In 150 pages, only one (Will) got the barest hint of character development, and that was somewhere around page 130. Way too late for me to start caring.
I really hate not finishing books (for pity's sake, I managed to finish The Unremembered, even though I wanted to throw it at a wall when I was done) and will usually see anything I pick up through to the bitter end. This one, though...I was so apathetic about it, and it's so apathetic about itself, that I just couldn't be bothered.
Part of the problem I think is there's a prequel novel I wasn't aware of before I started and didn't read. Maybe that would've helped with the lore context. But it wouldn't help with the flat, utterly nondescript characters. Zero development. Almost no description (I still can't remember if it's Resolute or Kedryn's Crow who's the elf; it's that bad). If you were to ask the three main characters why they were off on the quest they were on, I'm pretty sure you'd get a blank stare and a, "...because the author said so?" in response. They have no motivation, no history, no personality. In 150 pages, only one (Will) got the barest hint of character development, and that was somewhere around page 130. Way too late for me to start caring.
I really hate not finishing books (for pity's sake, I managed to finish The Unremembered, even though I wanted to throw it at a wall when I was done) and will usually see anything I pick up through to the bitter end. This one, though...I was so apathetic about it, and it's so apathetic about itself, that I just couldn't be bothered.
January 15, 2013
I love the set of main characters he has set in this story. If you have read The Dark Glory War, which is the prequel to this trilogy, you already know Crow and Resolute. They have not changed much and there is not much development of them through the story. Will, the first character you meet, is propelled into adventure unwittingly and constantly fights against his destiny. His character is well written and begins to grow somewhat in this book. Alexia is a very strong character throughout and becomes a leader to this small group. Her background is intriguing and brings to light the Gyrkyme society which she was brought up in. Kerrigan is the character who is developed the most in this book, which didn't surprise me after meeting him for the first time. He learns from the challenges given him and while not able to cope with all of them to begin with slowly comes to understand his power and learns to think. Perrine, Qwc and Dranae, while part of the central group, are more background characters in this book.
I strongly recommend reading the prequel before this book. While it does give away some of the plot points, including the ending, it gives a better grasp of some of the characters. It also gives background to the plot and makes it easier to understand. I found it was easier to become involved in the story as I already was partly invested in some of the characters.
I strongly recommend reading the prequel before this book. While it does give away some of the plot points, including the ending, it gives a better grasp of some of the characters. It also gives background to the plot and makes it easier to understand. I found it was easier to become involved in the story as I already was partly invested in some of the characters.
November 25, 2008
Stackpole has a great series on his hands here. His fantasy elements are not your typical cookie cutter fantasy style characters you see. His characters are fun to read in that you get to see their flaws as well as their strengths. It is refreshing reading a series where technology is also involved in it and that the whole world is not based on magic, although magic does come to play also. If you are looking for something to read that is not your run of the mill fantasy series you don't have any further to go.
August 2, 2012
I simply loved it. The world is rich and well realized, the characters wonderfully done. My favorite is Resolute. But the one thing I love about Stockpole is his battle scenes. If only I could write a battle scene like he does.
November 1, 2008
My Review here:
Full Review
Full Review
May 26, 2020
This was a great read!
Stackpole is a new author to me, and I picked this up as part of a book club. I'm very happy it was picked! There are some really interesting things here. As an avid fantasy reader, I am often just looking for something new, a twist on an old theme. However, while there are some genre cliches here, Stackpole does a great job of making this feel very different from other books in the genre. It would seem that the focus on military tactic would be the obvious thing to blame, but for me it was really more subtle. I really enjoyed the elves in this book. They did not have the haughtiness of Tolkien, or the mysteriousness of Lord Dunsany. They are brutal and broken. A very fun take on the trope. Stackpole has some brutal descriptions, if you do not appreciate gore this may not be the book for you. Lastly, while this is not the greatest world building I've ever read, he pays attention to details and filled the would with enough to immerse the reader.
Now, after just praising his descriptions, I'm also going to say that is the what caused me to give only 4 stars. Stackpole creates a bunch of unheard of creatures in this first book, but offers the reader little in their descriptions. It was a little disappointing in epic battle scenes to really have no idea what the heroes fighting.
Overall, a great read.
Stackpole is a new author to me, and I picked this up as part of a book club. I'm very happy it was picked! There are some really interesting things here. As an avid fantasy reader, I am often just looking for something new, a twist on an old theme. However, while there are some genre cliches here, Stackpole does a great job of making this feel very different from other books in the genre. It would seem that the focus on military tactic would be the obvious thing to blame, but for me it was really more subtle. I really enjoyed the elves in this book. They did not have the haughtiness of Tolkien, or the mysteriousness of Lord Dunsany. They are brutal and broken. A very fun take on the trope. Stackpole has some brutal descriptions, if you do not appreciate gore this may not be the book for you. Lastly, while this is not the greatest world building I've ever read, he pays attention to details and filled the would with enough to immerse the reader.
Now, after just praising his descriptions, I'm also going to say that is the what caused me to give only 4 stars. Stackpole creates a bunch of unheard of creatures in this first book, but offers the reader little in their descriptions. It was a little disappointing in epic battle scenes to really have no idea what the heroes fighting.
Overall, a great read.
September 16, 2017
Ce premier tome de la saga de la Guerre de la Couronne m'a fait une drôle de sensation.
En effet, la première moitié du tome nous relate l'histoire de Will, qui se retrouve embarqué de force dans une histoire qui le dépasse, par Corbeau et Résolu dont on ne sait quasiment rien. Je reconnais avoir eu du mal à vouloir continuer l'histoire, tant on nous laisse dans l'inconnu. D'une part par le fait que l'auteur ne s'éternise pas pendant de long moment sur de longue description, mais préfère faire avancer l'histoire rapidement, avec de nombreuses situations de bataille et d'autre part toujours par l'absence de révélation importante sur le rôle de Will qui reste incertain et sur le passé de ses compagnons. Je me suis "forcé" à continuer la lecture afin de voir la suite, et je n'ai pas été déçu.
Arrivé à la seconde moitié du roman, on nous présente un ensemble de nouveaux personnages que je ne dévoilerais pas pour ne "spoiler" ceux qui liront cette histoire, sachez toute fois que ces personnages sont très attachants et que l'on souhaite vraiment connaître la suite de leur aventure.
Au niveau de l'écriture, comme je le disais précédemment, l'auteur ne s'éternise pas sur de longue descriptions et l'ensemble de l'histoire est raconté de manière très direct et intense. De ce fait, nous sommes toujours dans l'action et on retrouve très peu de temps mort, pouvant nuire au rythme du roman. On pourra toute fois regretter le peu de temps pris sur les batailles ayant lieux prenant rarement plus de quelques pages.
Je recommande donc fortement ce livre et cette saga à toute personne voulant lire un peu de fantasy.
En effet, la première moitié du tome nous relate l'histoire de Will, qui se retrouve embarqué de force dans une histoire qui le dépasse, par Corbeau et Résolu dont on ne sait quasiment rien. Je reconnais avoir eu du mal à vouloir continuer l'histoire, tant on nous laisse dans l'inconnu. D'une part par le fait que l'auteur ne s'éternise pas pendant de long moment sur de longue description, mais préfère faire avancer l'histoire rapidement, avec de nombreuses situations de bataille et d'autre part toujours par l'absence de révélation importante sur le rôle de Will qui reste incertain et sur le passé de ses compagnons. Je me suis "forcé" à continuer la lecture afin de voir la suite, et je n'ai pas été déçu.
Arrivé à la seconde moitié du roman, on nous présente un ensemble de nouveaux personnages que je ne dévoilerais pas pour ne "spoiler" ceux qui liront cette histoire, sachez toute fois que ces personnages sont très attachants et que l'on souhaite vraiment connaître la suite de leur aventure.
Au niveau de l'écriture, comme je le disais précédemment, l'auteur ne s'éternise pas sur de longue descriptions et l'ensemble de l'histoire est raconté de manière très direct et intense. De ce fait, nous sommes toujours dans l'action et on retrouve très peu de temps mort, pouvant nuire au rythme du roman. On pourra toute fois regretter le peu de temps pris sur les batailles ayant lieux prenant rarement plus de quelques pages.
Je recommande donc fortement ce livre et cette saga à toute personne voulant lire un peu de fantasy.
April 1, 2025
Top 3 characters - Crow, Alyx, Resolute
This was a pretty good book! My expectations were not as high as usual due to the fact that I read the first 50 or so pages of this book about a year ago. I eventually put the book down because it was not as good as the prequel to this series. That prequel is one of my favorite fantasy books of all time. This time around, I tried to take this book for what it is. I think that is probably the main reason why I was able to finish the book this time around. The book was a bit too standard fantasy for me. Yes, there are a ton of different cultures, customs, and personalities. Even with all this, the overall story just felt too typical. For some, I think this is a bonus, but for me, it did not work. I still have it in the positive because Crow - the main character from the prequel - is still so compelling. Seeing him as a mentor figure was quite enjoyable. Alyx was probably the only new character that I felt connected to.
As of right now, I don't think I'm going to continue with the series.
This was a pretty good book! My expectations were not as high as usual due to the fact that I read the first 50 or so pages of this book about a year ago. I eventually put the book down because it was not as good as the prequel to this series. That prequel is one of my favorite fantasy books of all time. This time around, I tried to take this book for what it is. I think that is probably the main reason why I was able to finish the book this time around. The book was a bit too standard fantasy for me. Yes, there are a ton of different cultures, customs, and personalities. Even with all this, the overall story just felt too typical. For some, I think this is a bonus, but for me, it did not work. I still have it in the positive because Crow - the main character from the prequel - is still so compelling. Seeing him as a mentor figure was quite enjoyable. Alyx was probably the only new character that I felt connected to.
As of right now, I don't think I'm going to continue with the series.
April 11, 2025
Doug wanted me to read this - it’s the first in a trilogy that he loves. One of the things I really love about Doug is how opposite of snobby he is. He really is willing to try anything (except beans, hates them). I am not going to lie - I learned that I can be a bit snobby and I definitely judged this book by its cover. But I’m glad he pushed me to read it because I really enjoyed it! It’s no secret that I like fantasy and this is for sure high fantasy. The world building was excellent and I liked the magic system (that’s important in a fantasy). The villains are appropriately heinous and the heroes are flawed but I love that they are really only heroes together - one of them alone can’t do it. Doug’s excited that I liked and is now getting me to read the next one, which I will definitely be doing!
December 19, 2016
So it's 25 years later and now we have Will as The Norrington since Leigh went crazy and got ringwraithed. The mages whipped up Kerrigan, a fat magic prodigy. The little baby girl, Alex, that was whisked off is now a General. Everyone let Cathy rebuild once the whole 12 guys they sent failed last time. They attack a city she had, and take it, but it's a hellhole so no gain and burn it. Cathy attacks Fortress Draconis again and this time kinda wins. I'd have figured they'd turn it into a giant bomb. I hope the Baron isn't really dead. Seems a waste. And of course they just let them take Crow aka Tarrant, dunno why he allows that shit. Kerrigan could kill them all, simple.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2024
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with this book. It was just OK. The politics were very elementary and the character development wasn’t very dramatic and engaging. The world building and action scenes were very vivid and intense, creating an enthralling atmosphere. There is nothing wrong with this book, there is just simply room for more development that Stackpole did not use. This book is a 3.5 star, rounded down. If you are new to fantasy, this book is a great place to start. However, those who have thoroughly explored the genre may find this less entertaining at times.
October 20, 2017
The time shift between this and the Dark Glory War was a bit jarring. He handles it well, but even with some of the gap filled in for the characters you'd come to know, I still wanted more on that intervening time.
That being said, this was quite enjoyable, and I continue to enjoy his take on "classic" fantasy races. (As well as the overall story.)
That being said, this was quite enjoyable, and I continue to enjoy his take on "classic" fantasy races. (As well as the overall story.)
March 30, 2020
The continuing story of Crow and Resoulute and their fight against Chytrine. What an excellent escape from the Corona Virus. Elves, Dragons, Heros, Mages, Pirates, and Evil armies of weird creatures.
Will, Alexi and the forces for good battle many enemies. Fortresses armed with dragonettes and magic battle against the dead and the undead.
A truly captivating series.
Will, Alexi and the forces for good battle many enemies. Fortresses armed with dragonettes and magic battle against the dead and the undead.
A truly captivating series.
September 30, 2017
This is actually for the podcast version, which is generally quite exciting if derivative. The problem is that it just ends and leaves no obvious path to continue without spending a significant amount of money.
December 12, 2018
Pretty good book for the standard militaristic fantasy genre.
Enjoyed the prequel "The Dark Glory War" more but this too was very good.
Enjoyed the prequel "The Dark Glory War" more but this too was very good.
July 24, 2019
Really good fantasy novel from one of my favorite authors. First time I have read stackpole outside of the battletech universe and I really enjoyed it.
December 27, 2023
Great book. Definitely fits in the military fantasy category but regular fantasy readers will love the world building, character development, and magic of this world. A good mixture of description dialog and action to make this a page turner. I have read this books twice now and will reread the entire series eventually. I wish more people new about stackpole's other books besides his x wing series.
November 3, 2016
Though the next two in the series aren't as good (I've made my point elsewhere about my views on sexual immorality and killing off of main characters), this first one is pretty neat. A complicated world and fully realized cultures and histories. The characters are complex, and the main plot, though cliche (bad person trying to take over world), is portrayed in a new way (girl bad guy) and with new motives and creatures.
This world had cannons! The only other fantasy series I remember seeing with cannons is The Fuller's Apprentice. If you progress to pistols and trains, that's full-blown steampunk and something else entirely.
The prophecy almost creates more confusion than help, and it's fulfilled in an interesting way (actually, that's one part that I admire without liking).
This world had cannons! The only other fantasy series I remember seeing with cannons is The Fuller's Apprentice. If you progress to pistols and trains, that's full-blown steampunk and something else entirely.
The prophecy almost creates more confusion than help, and it's fulfilled in an interesting way (actually, that's one part that I admire without liking).
March 1, 2010
Le premier bon point de ce roman, c'est que l'auteur ne s'étend pas en descriptions interminables pour poser le contexte. On entre immédiatement dans l'histoire, dès le premier chapitre. Et ça continue tout au long du livre. On découvre petit à petit l'univers de Stackpole, sans que le récit en soit alourdi. Le rythme est rapide, et même si certains éléments font partie de ce qu'on pourrait appeler les clichés de la fantasy, Forteresse Draconis est plutôt bon dans son genre. Des batailles, de la magie, des héros et une prophétie, quoi de plus classique ? Pourtant, les personnages sont fouillés et attachants, le livre regorge de bonnes surprises. Un roman agréable, fertile en rebondissements, sans être non plus inoubliable. Un gros bémol aux fautes d'orthographe qui ont fait suite à la traduction, ça ne fait pas très pro de la part de l'éditeur !
September 6, 2016
"Hey, Michael A. Stackpole! I read those Star Wars books by him and I liked him. Original work? Sure, I'll buy it."
This was not a good decision.
The problem with this series is when I read it. If I read it three years prior, then I could have tagged it as "I was young and dumb, okay" and that would be that. The thing is that when I ended up reading it, I had already started having evolving taste in fantasy books, beyond the likes of Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms and such. This series was of a quality of those things, just with different trappings.
I did not hate it. But it seemed to be very stereotypical fantasy at a time where I was craving more. However, I bought all three books at once so I was kind of committed to the full ride!
This was not a good decision.
The problem with this series is when I read it. If I read it three years prior, then I could have tagged it as "I was young and dumb, okay" and that would be that. The thing is that when I ended up reading it, I had already started having evolving taste in fantasy books, beyond the likes of Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms and such. This series was of a quality of those things, just with different trappings.
I did not hate it. But it seemed to be very stereotypical fantasy at a time where I was craving more. However, I bought all three books at once so I was kind of committed to the full ride!
September 21, 2008
I started this not realizing it was part of a series, but I can now see why. There's too much to fit in one book. It's a really involved & detailed story of a nation struggling under the impending invasion of a 'Big Bad' that apparently has been building for the better part of 50 years. I'm almost finished with it & it's just introducing the 'Big Bad' that's been discussed throughout the entire book! It's a good read, but it is pretty heavy on detailing battle strategy & history of the place. Not that I mind, but now I have a feeling I'll have to search out the rest of the series just to know what happens next.
April 4, 2016
This book had its ups and downs. On the one hand, parts of the world are rich and detailed, fantastically so. Original fantasy. Other parts were horribly thought out and entirely predictable or unrealistic. Luckily, the former outweighs the later. I'd give this a 3.5. It would be a 4 save for a character I shan't name who, after appearing halfway into the book, is apparently always with the party but never mentioned outside of battles. I forget he exists even though he's part of the main group. Everyone else has personality, strengths and flaws. This guy punches things.
Aside from that, a good book. I might even read the next one!
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